Moving

Thanks to "Dream's Sorrow SSS" for the 588, and to everyone who voted for recommendations. As always, please bookmark and recommend this novel.

$$$$$$ The Main Text Follows $$$$$$

So, here was the question.

What kind of formula could possibly equate Jin Zifu's eighteen years and six months of life to an entire factory?

You Ye had said that the decision was in his hands. In other words, he could refuse this deal if he wanted to.

It wasn't because he thought the deal was absurd. He simply didn't believe it. On the contrary, it was precisely because he believed too much in the club's bizarre abilities that he couldn't agree so casually.

Over the past twenty years, Luo Qiu had lived an ordinary life. His father, who had been a police officer and an upright man all his life, had already passed away, but Luo Qiu still dared not forget the principles his father had taught him from childhood.

When he was young, he might have found them annoying, thinking his father too nagging and old-fashioned. Yet after losing him, he began to remember those childhood days. Although Luo Qiu considered himself someone who liked solitude, he had never thought himself different from other people.

He had times when he felt lost and times when he suffered. He had also missed his father, hiding alone beneath the covers and swallowing his tears.

Why hadn't he listened to his father more in the past?

Why, when he clearly had a phone in hand and had saved his father's number the moment he bought it, were there so few call records? Why was he usually the one being contacted rather than the one making the call?

Kindness and integrity.

Whenever he recalled his father's teachings, Luo Qiu felt more and more that Jin Zifu's deal was absurd. Jin Zifu had no desire to take revenge on society or any habit of looking down on others. Twenty years of guidance had not made him feel superior after gaining extraordinary abilities. If anything, he should be cautious.

"Master, please remember that you have only thirty days."

Luo Qiu, deep in thought, suddenly heard You Ye's reminder. It was like a basin of cold water being poured over him, and he instinctively asked, "Before... did you often complete deals where one's lifespan was used as the currency?"

You Ye answered calmly, "Humans are creatures with urgent needs, but they often lack the ability to fulfill those needs. At such times, the only thing humans can offer is themselves. Parts of their bodies, beautiful things, wisdom, emotions, even memories... and sometimes their souls. In fact, because of their instinct for self-preservation, they care more about visible losses than invisible ones. That is why they are more willing to use the unseen end of their lifespan as payment, rather than something that can be directly taken from them."

Luo Qiu had already calmed down. He suddenly said, "Trafford, Devil... actually means 'demon,' right?"

You Ye smiled faintly. "Master, have you made your decision?"

Luo Qiu shook his head and spoke as if to himself. "If I had only thirty days left to live, obviously I wouldn't simply let myself die. I would find a way to survive. It wouldn't matter who I had to deal with. To stay alive, I should abandon kindness."

He looked at the decorations displayed on the cabinet beside him. "I have no way to free myself from the club's restraints. Even if I reject Jin Zifu's deal this time, I'll encounter similar situations in the future. I might avoid it once, but I won't avoid it forever. So I should still abandon kindness."

He suddenly looked at You Ye. "But I'm unwilling to abandon integrity as well... I'll agree to this deal, but on the condition that you teach me how to determine whether it's truly equivalent."

Since using his lifespan as payment was Jin Zifu's wish, Luo Qiu felt that the only thing he could do was provide him with as fair a deal as possible.

He didn't dwell on the problem for too long. Compared with endless deliberation, he preferred taking practical action.

Kindness and integrity... But his father had often said that some things were better tried than merely thought over. Perhaps he would understand after doing them.

"Then, Master, let us assess the value of Jin Zifu's factory. Please wait a moment. You Ye will change clothes and be right out." You Ye smiled.

The maid doll went upstairs.

Not long afterward, she came back down in a different outfit.

It was still black and white, but this time it was a chiffon pinafore dress. The area extending from the neckline to the chest and between the shoulders was white. Below the chest, it became pure black, and the close-fitting skirt covered half her thighs. Beneath it was a stretch of snow-white skin.

Finally, she wore a simple pair of silver-gray flat shoes.

She suddenly looked much more fashionable. Since her features were already somewhat Western, she now looked even more like a model.

You Ye appeared before Luo Qiu with both hands lightly clasped in front of her, resting just below her abdomen. She said softly, "Master, You Ye is ready. We can go out."

"Go out?" Luo Qiu was startled. "Are we really going to Jin Zifu's factory?"

You Ye nodded. "Yes. We also need to calculate the factory's operating conditions, the number of employees, and so on. Only by restoring the factory's value as accurately as possible can we provide you with a reliable reference."

"...We don't even seem to know where Jin Zifu's factory is."

You Ye remained graceful. "Master, there is no need to worry. As long as you wish it, you can go there... In fact, it should not be very far. With your current abilities, it should be no problem."

As she spoke, You Ye walked directly in front of Luo Qiu. She suddenly raised a finger and adjusted the bangs on his forehead slightly. Her finger slid down his forehead to his cheek. With a faint smile, she finally took Luo Qiu's hand and said softly, "Close your eyes, then imagine it. Imagine in your heart that you want to go to Jin Zifu's factory, and the club will respond to your request..."

Close his eyes.

Imagine.

What followed was an extremely strange sensation. His body seemed to become incredibly light in an instant, and soon it felt as though he had completely lost his gravity.

Luo Qiu couldn't help but space out.

When he came to his senses, the gravity binding his body to the earth seemed to have returned. Luo Qiu opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by factory buildings. He could also hear the roar of machinery coming from within them.

"This... is my ability?" Luo Qiu looked around in surprise, then took out his phone and checked his location on the map.

The outskirts...

"Yes."

You Ye spoke with reverence. "This is the ability of the club's master. In fact, Master, you have only just taken over, so all your abilities are still at their initial stage. However, as the number of completed deals increases, these abilities will gradually grow stronger... If your abilities become powerful enough, Master, you will not even need to make this trip yourself. With a single thought, you will be able to grasp every piece of information about this factory."

At any rate.

The only thing on Luo Qiu's mind at that moment was two words: That's awesome...